Unbind me

chapter 17

"Alright," Kenji says, stepping back toward the door. "I'll be back in a few to take you to Castle. Just... hang tight, okay?"

I nod, not trusting myself to speak.

Kenji pauses for a second longer like he wants to say something else, but he just offers a small smile instead — one that doesn't quite reach his eyes — and slips out the door, pulling it shut behind him.

The silence that follows is heavier than before. The room feels colder, the air too still. I shift in place, running my fingers over the rough fabric of the blanket draped across my lap. My body's tense, my mind racing.

Castle.

I don't know what to expect, but I can't shake the feeling that this is more important than Kenji let on. People like Castle — people in charge — never just want to "meet" someone. They want something. Information. Control. Power.

I push those thoughts away and try to focus on my breathing. In. Out. In. Out. But it's hard to concentrate when everything feels like it's spinning. My fingers twitch again, and for a moment, I swear I can feel the air around me shift — a low hum crackling just beneath the surface.

I dig my nails into my palms until the sharp sting pulls me back to reality.

I need to keep it together.

Kenji said he'd be back soon. I just have to make it until then.

· · ────── · ❈ · ────── · ·

Minutes stretch on, feeling like hours. The silence gnaws at me, and despite my best efforts, my thoughts keep spiraling.

What does Castle want? What if he knows something about me — about what I can do? What if I hurt someone again? What if I can't control it?

I clench my hands tighter, willing my mind to stop. My powers have always felt unpredictable, slipping out when I'm overwhelmed or scared. And right now, I'm both.

The air around me feels different again — charged, like a low current buzzing in the walls. The lights flicker once, then again, and I know it's me. My fingers are tingling, heat curling in my chest like smoke, threatening to spill over.

Not now. Not now. Not now.

I squeeze my eyes shut and force my breathing to slow. My heartbeat pounds in my ears, loud and uneven. The air still feels too thick, the walls too close — but I focus on Kenji's words: "I'll be back soon."

Soon.

The door finally clicks open.

I snap my head up, half-expecting to see someone I don't recognize — another stranger here to interrogate me or test me or threaten me — but it's just Kenji. His face softens when he sees me, but his smile is tight. Forced.

"Hey," he says quietly, stepping inside. "You okay?"

I don't answer right away. I don't trust my voice, still hoarse from whatever nightmare I'd been trapped in before.

Kenji glances at the flickering lights above us, then back at me. He doesn't say anything about it. Instead, he exhales sharply and rubs a hand over his face.

"Castle's ready for you," he says. "But listen..." He hesitates, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. "Don't stress, alright? He's a good guy. He's... different. But he's on our side."

Our side.

I nod once, still unsure if that's supposed to make me feel better.

"Come on," Kenji says, stepping back toward the door. "Let's get this over with."